Cotton fluffer for cotton picking machines



Aug. 19, 1952 J.VD. RUST COTTON FLUFFER FOR COTTON PICKING MACHINES Filed Jan. 12, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 gwn/whom jo-fw?, Ens??? ATTO R N EY Aug. 19, 1952 J. D. RUST 2,607,178

COTTON FLUFFER FOR COTTON PICKING MACHINES Filed Jan- 12, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ATTOR N EY 'Patentecl Aug. 19, 1952 I UNITED STATES rATENTLoFFIcE COTTON FLUFFER FOR COTTON PICKING MACHINES John D. Rust, Pine Bluff, Ark. Application January 12, 1950, Serial No. 138,185

8 Claims. l

My present invention relates to cotton picking machines in general, and to the Rust type in particular.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for fluiiing the lint of open cotton in the picking tunnel of cotton picking machines, especially of the Rust type.

I have found by experience that the Rust machine in its present form is very eiective for picking the open cotton when the lint is fluffy, which is the normal condition of well matured healthy cotton. However, there are conditions where the open cotton isv not fluly and the lint does not readily wind onto the smooth wire spindles even when they are properly moistened. This condition may becaused by boll weevil iniestation, honey-dew, or other adverse conditions.

My present invention is designed to crowd cotton stalks into a narrow passage andto force the open bolls against agitating impediments which serve to fluif the lint and to urge it toward the picking spindles in a manner that vwill cause the lint to be positively Wrapped around the spindles. So far as I know, I am the first to propose a device for this purpose. i. f

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination andfarrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a Rust cotton picker unit of a cotton picking machine, parts being broken away and omitted, showing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a cotton picker unit, the section being taken on aplane indicated by line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings I represents the frame of a Rust cotton picker unit, and 2 and 3 represent the driving and the driven shafts of the endless slatted conveyor 4, the slats 9 of which carry the picking spindles 8. Tracks and 6 guide the conveyor in its course.

The slats may be of any desired construction, but preferably are of the construction disclosed in my Patent No. 2,440,450, issued April 27, 1948.

1 designates the usual stalk guards which are secured to a vertically disposed frame member, not shown, at the rear of the unit. Wear blocks I I are secured to the inner side of the stalk guards 'I to prevent metallic contact between guards and the spindle slats 9.

Stalk Crowder fins I0 are carried by anv outer wall I 9 mounted on an arm 2| pivoted to bracket 2D mounted on the frame I. The wall I9 is held said stalk in its proper place by a suitable spring device 221m Y! f Y.

I2 indicates the spindle drive-rollers which run" ontracks of the spindle operating units I3 vcar- I ried on a wall I8.

All of the foregoing parts are of knowny construction and, per se, are not a part of my present `serrated edges I1 which project into the path of the plants in the tunnel to engage and uif the cotton carried by thebolls. I Y- j23,designates flexible (resilient) steel rods for crowding `the plants ina direction toward the conveyor which adds to the picking efficiency under certain conditions. y

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the fluiiers I4 and I6 are not )located in the-paths of the spindles, but are located between the'same in ,positions so as to be engaged by the cotton bolls as the machine travels along the rows of plants, thereby ufng the lint in a manner to cause the lint to be positively wrapped around the spindles.

It is necessary to have the uffers, at one side of the tunnel' at least, yieldable in order to let large ,stalks pass without clogging the tunnel, and

at the same time Vto extend close enoughto the opposite agitators to insure contact with all open bolls under ordinary conditions.

The fingers I 5 (constituting the tips of the arms I4) are composed either of rubber or steel, as desired. Rubber tips are desirable when pick- -ing cotton having many green bolls, but after the cotton is practically all open steel tips will serve equally as well. The aim is to thoroughly flui the cotton in the front part of the picking tunnel and then toleave the spindles free to finish wrapping it up from about half-way back.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and ad- 2,607,178 3 the invention will be clear to those a plurality b the tunnel for engaging said open ng a tun- 6. A cotton picking unit having a tunnel for W ich c on otton lants ckin s indles mg spind to rthe ott d les ia nnel, said si si and 5 nts red by m ving stalk said tunnel for Y 0 ombination With cotton iuing membeis dis r de of t posite sides of said unne be g rig nd t bers on one side da. flung nnel and stal unnel, the guards pose on op he Crowder at lo parallel relation, the iuing mem ounted, in comof said tunnel being rigidly mounted, the WW1/7,7 9J; ma www me of said tunnel being hine n r de f e tu t id b sk;l

ne havi Within guards Crowder at the inner si the outer side being e1 

